


Love, Hers and Hers

by queeniesye



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama, F/F, One Shot Collection, Romance, Yearning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23253019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queeniesye/pseuds/queeniesye
Summary: It's raining in Midgar, and the Seventh Heaven Bar owner, Tifa Lockhart decided it's time to close. A woman in a pink dress missed the memo, and entered all drenched from the rain.The sight of her made Tifa's knees tremble. Will this be a new beginning of something?
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Comments: 4
Kudos: 52





	Love, Hers and Hers

**Author's Note:**

> Written with this question in mind: What happens when Tifa is an NPC, met Aerith first and fell in love?

It was 1am in Midgar. Rain was pouring heavily outside, leaving the streets almost empty with hardly any living soul roaming at sight. The air was chilly, and tainted by an unpleasant scent for the nose – a merge of rotten garbage and strong acid. In dimly lit alleys underneath jutting roofs, those in destitute kept themselves warm in bundles of unwashed fabrics. Neon signboards hanging on walls of business establishments remained gleaming, a confirmation of the tenacious nature of the city’s entrepreneurs. Among these establishments was the Seventh Heaven, a bar most frequented by Midgar dwellers.

Fifteen minutes past 1am, the owner, a brunette beauty named Tifa Lockhart have decided to turn off her bar’s neon signboard. It was five hours earlier than the bar’s usual closing time but she knew that with the rain forecasted to last until at least 8am, business would be slower. She started cleaning, starting from gathering empty glass bottles of alcohol and throwing them into the bins, to washing used plates and glasses, and then wiping the bar counters and tables with an aromatic disinfectant. Following her daily routine, sweeping and mopping the floors would be her last chore.

As she was busying herself with placing chairs and stools onto table tops, the doorbell rang. She exhaled, exasperated by the sound. Her eyes trailed to the door and landed on a slender figure of a shivering woman in a pink dress. Her light brown braided hair, along with her entire assemble were damp with rainwater. She was carrying with her a woven basket filled with flowers that were scarce in the city. With her head down and her face hidden from plain view, the woman was engrossed in rubbing traces of mud away from the soles of her boots on the bar’s doormat.

“I’m sorry miss, but we are close,” Tifa told the woman.

The woman sneezed, and finally lifted her head up. Her emerald green eyes and friendly smile formed out of her dainty lips caught Tifa off-guard – she was thrown into a sudden daydream where only the limpid rhythmic sound of a beating heart could be heard – _perhaps,_ _her own beating heart?_ The sight of the woman made Tifa’s knees tremble.

“I don’t mean to bother… but I really have nowhere else to go. I can’t go home now… the streets would be impossible to cross.”

Tifa gulped, nervous and self-conscious now in the presence of a beautiful woman, “It’s fine… I’ll get you a towel to dry yourself.”

Grabbing a towel was just an excuse for her to get away and regain her composure. Though she did return with a towel, to which the woman gladly received.

Standing behind the bar counters, Tifa assumed her usual role of a bar hostess – her attempt in fronting a poise. “Would you like a cup of hot chocolate or something else warm, miss…?”

The woman took a seat on one of the stools at the bar counters, making Tifa jittery all over again. “The name’s Aerith – Aerith Gainsborough. Oh and some warm rum for me, please.”

Tifa obliged, and served the woman her signature Seventh Heaven rum. Just a sip of it was enough to please the woman, “The drink lives up to its name.”

The compliment brought heat to Tifa’s cheeks, “Thank you, Ms. Aerith…”

“You’re welcome, Tifa! And please, just call me Aerith.”

“How do you know my name?” Tifa asked, genuinely surprised, as one could tell from the tone of her voice. 

“Who wouldn’t know Tifa Lockhart of Midgar’s Seventh Heaven – an excellent cook, mixologist and bar owner _slash_ hostess?”

The litany of praises were familiar to Tifa, and she typically dismissed them with an uncomfortable chuckle. Yet, Aerith’s recognition of her abilities was flattering and difficult to respond to without a smile of pride.

Her smile seemed to prompt more smiles from Aerith, “Right. Let’s talk more, Tifa!”

Aerith and her ended up spending the entire night together, sitting face-to-face and talking about various many subjects – their past, their current lives, their dreams, the state of Midgar, the state of the world – everything that crossed through their minds. From their conversations, Tifa learned that they seemed to have a lot in common. Just like Tifa, Aerith made a living by opening a business, where she sold flowers that she cultivated in her house garden, and the Sector 5 church. They also shared a common enemy – Shinra Electric Power Company. Tifa lost her father and home because of Shinra, while Aerith spent her early childhood days experimented on in Shinra’s labs and lost her biological mother.

“They are still after me today,” Aerith added in her telltales about Shinra’s cruelty, further fuelling Tifa’s anger.

It was their first meeting… but Tifa and Aerith bonded over their similarities and agony of living in a world dominated by their common foe. Aerith gave her solace, and so did she to Aerith. When morning came, neither of them wanted to leave the other. But Aerith had to leave, and Tifa could only hope that they would meet again.

*******

Aerith did return, and her presence in Tifa’s life had grown much more significant overtime. Tifa let her sell flowers to customers who came to Seventh Heaven, and accessorized the bar with vases of Aerith’s flowers. Sometimes she would close the bar on certain days so she could help Aerith with her flower business, or just to take strolls with Aerith across different places in Midgar. She also came to learn that Aerith was entirely different from her in terms of personality – a cause of most of their petty little arguments. They fought but would quickly reconciled through compromises.

They understood each other better… and Tifa recognized that she had fallen _way_ too hard for Aerith. Aerith was making it harder not to… whatnot with her initiating most of the flirting they were doing with each other. 

It was great between them.

…Until something else came and sort of created _ripples_.

Aerith arrived to the bar one day, bringing with her members of a group called AVALANCHE. Knowing the group’s prime mission, Tifa welcomed them with open arms. She developed a particular fondness for the group’s leader, Barret, who so often passionately spoke about what they do and at the same time, doted over his adopted daughter, Marlene. When he suggested that he would greatly appreciate her help in taking care of Marlene, she was more than happy to do it. Aerith’s affiliation to the group did not bother her at all, except for that one person – that guy with a prickly blonde hair who had so little words to say, but would talk only with sarcasm.

The guy, a supposedly first class SOLDIER named Cloud Strife, was nothing but cold to everyone… except with Aerith. Their flirting was not lost to everyone’s attention, including Tifa’s.

When Aerith was finally ready to open up a conversation about someone important in her past – a former lover, she began by speaking about Cloud, “He… he reminded me so much of Zack.”

“Zack…?”

“…My ex-boyfriend.”

Tifa watched her blushed as she said, “But Cloud is different… I know he is. And that’s why I want to know him better.”

She knew Aerith was developing feelings for him, making her feel a tinge of jealousy. It felt like shards of glass had slashed her heart into half. Her feelings must had been visibly conveyed on her face because soon after, Aerith grabbed hold of her hands and apologised. Aerith made several attempts to reassure her that it was nothing more than a friendly curiosity, but Tifa knew better.

 _But am I in any position to stop her?_ Tifa wondered. They were not lovers. She loved Aerith, but never really told her. And she believed Aerith felt _something_ for her too – something more than friendly, yet Aerith too had not made her feelings known.

So when Aerith decided to leave Midgar with AVALANCHE to travel across the world and discover more about herself, Tifa chose not to fret. She did not let her worries about Aerith getting closer to Cloud and abandoning her known. When Aerith walked away, Tifa waved her goodbye and bit her lip in agony.

Aerith did occasionally return to Midgar to check on Elmyra, her flowers and… perhaps her, as Tifa would like to believe. Tifa was the happiest when Aerith returned. They would spend many long days and nights together in each other’s companies, just to talk or help each other out with their businesses. Their conversations had also grown more exciting with Aerith always sharing glimpses of her adventures with Tifa. She was no longer mentioning about Cloud in their conversations, and Tifa suspected it was out of consideration for her feelings. It slightly bothered her but she chose not to pry.

*******

Midgar – and elsewhere, as news bulletins had informed, was cloudy for consecutive days. Tifa was feeling a sense of foreboding, and she thought of nothing but the well-being of Aerith. She was anxious for Aerith’s presence so she could be assured that Aerith was alive and away from harm. Her wish was answered when Aerith abruptly returned to Midgar – to her bar, alone without her usual companion of AVALANCHE members.

“So you’ve finally decided to ditch them all for me, huh?”

Aerith giggled, “Yeah, maybe. I really want it to be only the two of us this time.”

They spent the entire day just visiting many different spots in Midgar and catching up with one another. Aerith listened to her talk about the ups and downs that her bar was going through. Meanwhile, she listened to Aerith telling her about the progress Aerith was making in finding out about herself – her Cetra origins, and her role and responsibilities as a Cetra. Tifa was glad for Aerith, but also had grown wary as she listened to the ensuing grim turn of events. The names of Shinra, Hojo, Sephiroth and Jenova made her worry about the world – about Aerith.

“Will you be alright?” she asked, struggling to conceal the tremble in her voice.

Aerith smiled, “I will be. Don’t worry about me.”

She nodded, but somewhat still not entirely convinced.

“…Can I sleep with you tonight?” Aerith asked, out of the blue and almost pleading.

Aerith’s request was unforeseen, but Tifa yearned for her too much to think twice… or refuse.

*******

Tifa lied next to Aerith in her bed – in her bedroom that night, in silence. As she stared into Aerith’s eyes, she felt the entangling of many feelings – anxiety, fear, love, and yearning. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers on to Aerith’s skin and feel its softness…But Aerith did it first – to her surprise.

With a finger caressing Tifa’s cheek, Aerith revealed to her a truth she always wanted to hear, “You know I love you, right? More than anyone.”

“More than anyone?”

Aerith chuckled, “Yes, more than anyone. More than Zack or Cloud…”

Tifa’s bedroom was soon rocked with the sound of their chortles.

“So you knew I was jealous back then, huh?” Tifa asked, embarrassed that Aerith realized!

“Yeah, I could tell.”

When they finally calmed down, they looked into each other’s eyes once again – smiling this time.

Aerith’s eyes went glassy as she mumbled, “Sorry, I should have told you.”

Tifa shook her head, “No… no, I should have told you sooner too… about my feelings.”

A few strands of hair fell on her face and Aerith brushed them away. “You know… I always love these red eyes of yours.”

Aerith leaned in and gave her a kiss on her lips – so loving and gentle enough to bring tears into her eyes. That night they fell asleep in each other’s arms… not once did Tifa wanted to pull away, and so did Aerith. It was almost as if they were desperate for one another’s warmth.

When morning came, Tifa knew she had to say goodbye, for Aerith had to leave to protect the Planet. Yet, the long embrace they were locked in was telling that none of them was any less reluctant of leaving the other alone.

“I’ll come back when it’s all over,” was the last thing Aerith told her, before she went away to do what she had to do.

*******

It was raining in Midgar again. The sun was hardly present to mark daylight, and Aerith’s flowers in Tifa’s bar had all dried up. She wanted to pick up more flowers from the church or Aerith’s home garden but felt like it would not be a good thing to do before Aerith’s return. So she waited… but it had been so many months since Aerith was home. She was sure more than ever that Aerith would never abandon her but… she had a hunch that something was definitely not right. To distract herself from these unpleasant thoughts, Tifa replayed that night when they kissed over and over again, hoping that her constant thought of Aerith would summon her back to Midgar.

The bar doorbell rang… and her heart leaped. _Did Aerith really came back?_

Two familiar figures approached – to her disappointment. Barret and Cloud came to pay her – or rather, the bar a visit.

She took a glance at the wall clock, “It’s a little too early for a drink, no?”

Barret and Cloud neither moved nor answered. The sombre look on Barret’s face troubled her.

Almost instinctively, she asked, “…Where is Aerith?”

“She’s gone,” Cloud shot an answer.

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

Barret reached out his hand and handed her a pink ribbon… which she recognized as Aerith’s.

Barret started explaining, faltering in his words, “We- We couldn’t save her… It was Sephiroth.”

Her heart raced and the world started spinning… she gazed at both Barret and Cloud, urgently hoping that she was dreaming or that they were lying… but neither of them wanted to look at her anymore. Barret was in pain – she could tell from his face, and Cloud refused to remove his sunglasses as he was looking away.

How could she live in a world without Aerith?

 _You promised you would come back_ , Tifa heard the anguish voice in her head was saying.

Her mind grew frantic.

And words from Barret, or Cloud could no longer reach her.


End file.
